Mirrors
by KatanaDoshi
Summary: Owen had always seemed to avoid mirrors. Now David knew why.


Mirrors

Summary: Owen had always seemed to avoid mirrors. Now David knew why.

A/N: To make up for the ridiculously long gaps between ItB posts, here's another Owen-centric one-shot. If you were trying to organize my one-shots into different groupings this would go before In the Dark of the Night but without all the slashy undertones. Like ItDotN this takes place "behind the scenes" of an episode. Something I try to avoid but this has actually been bugging me for a while.

Warnings: Mild Language

Spoilers: The Mirror, Eye of the Beholder, The Gathering part 1&2 (kinda)

Disclaimer: _Gargoyles belongs to Disney, Buena Vista and Greg Weisman (mostly Greg). Don't sue me._

* * *

Owen shifted. David looked up from the schematics in his hand and yes, Owen had moved just enough to not have any part of himself reflected in the mirror hanging from the wall behind him. David hadn't needed to see it to know that Owen had done so without needing to look and check his position.

It was a quirk, one of many that David had discovered in the other man over the years and like all of Owen's other quirks you either corrected it or got used to it. Since mirror avoidance was less likely to offend someone than say pushing up one's glasses with one's middle finger, this was one David had simply gotten used to it. There wasn't exactly an over abundance of mirrors in the castle after all.

"This," the darker man gestured with the paper "should be easier than the lab people are making it sound. Schedule in a time for me to go down there and scare them into being more productive."

"Yes sir," impassive as usual, Owen made a note in his planner. David glanced down at his watch and tried not to bite his lip.

"On an unrelated note," he went for a casual tone. "I expect The Eye will be here in the morning?"

"Of course sir," Owen wasn't known for being reassuring and David hadn't expected him to start now. Still...

"And the dinner-"

"All taken care of," Owen had answered these questions before and was likely getting a little annoyed with his employer if the impatient interruption was anything to go by. David let out a small huff of laughter and smoothed back his hair in an effort to steady himself.

"Of course it is. I should know better to doubt you by now."

"Yes, you should," the back and forth was a familiar and David felt his nerves steady once more.

"Now, back to business. When will-"

"Mr. Xanatos," David froze, his back to the blond. There was a strain, almost painful, in Owen's voice that he'd never heard before. Slowly the darker man turned to watch the blond set his planner on the floor, body trembling slightly.

"Owen...?"

"Forgive me sir," still shaking, body looking to be just barely under his control, Owen took one large step to the left. "I have to go."

"Go where?" David watched with a sort of horrified fascination as the blond took another step, directly in front of the reflective surface he seemed to spend so much time avoiding.

"I'm not sure," Owen carefully tucked his glasses into the breast pocket of his jacket.

David couldn't hear it over the sudden rushing noise but he knew that he let out a shout of warning to the other man as the mirror's surface warped. Owen's eyes shut and he seemed to relax as what should have been glass swirled like a pool of quicksilver behind him.

And then he was gone.

"OWEN!" Without thinking David dove forward and the shock of pain informed him that his hand had hit solid glass. He shouted his friend's name again, expecting no answer. There was no sign of the blond in the reflection in front of him. None at all. David balled his fist and raised it. "Son of a-" he stopped, hand just inches from the glass. "No, no..." David took a step back, watching himself in the glass. "If it breaks he might not be able to come back," David swallowed hard. "Alright... alright."

(Line break)

Somewhere between the foyer and the library David felt a shift and suddenly the books seemed awfully small in his hands. One fell and he crouched awkwardly to get it, his talons leaving small indentations on the soft leather cover. Something about that... seemed not right. David frowned down at his hand and the book for a moment before dismissing the feeling. There were more important things right now.

The sun would be up in only a few hours. If he wanted his friend back, David would have to work quickly.

(Line break)

The wooden bowl hit the floor with a clatter as David's hand suddenly seemed to stop working the way it ought to. The dark haired man frowned at the fingers that had betrayed him twice in one evening but didn't give it any more thought. Checking the bowl for damage and finding none, David quickly filled it with herbs and dug the lighter out of his pocket.

The sooner he could be done with this nonsense and back to work the better, he told himself. Owen would have to be reprimanded for leaving without giving notice and there were shipments to arrange. Never mind the dinner to prepare for. Damn inconvenient, David thought as he tried to ignore the shaking of his hands as he lifted the bowlful of smelly, smoldering ash, for Owen to be supernaturally abducted at a time like this.

David had to lower his head to protect his eyes from the stinging smoke and missed it as the mirror warped again.

"Sir," David's head snapped back up. Owen was squinting down at him, glasses half way to his face, the mirror still behind him. David glanced down at himself and considered how silly he must look to the other man; cross-legged on the floor, holding up a bowl of burning kitchen herbs, occult books scattered around him on the floor. David cleared his throat and lowered his arms. Owen finished putting on his glasses but didn't stop squinting. "What on earth are you doing?"

"...Practicing incantations," David set the bowl down and stood, dusting himself off. Owen raised an eyebrow at him. "You never know when it'll come in handy and I suddenly found myself with quite a bit of time on my hands," David pinned the other man with a pointed look. Owen looked neither embarrassed or ashamed. He never did.

"Of course, sir. I hope my absence wasn't too trying for you," Owen bent and picked his planner back up. "It may interest you to know that Demona has now found herself in the interesting position of being human by day."

"Really?" David stepped over a Lovecraftian style manual for summoning demons and headed for the elevator. "Now that is interesting. I wonder..."

* * *

A/N: That glasses thing at the beginning is a joke that only ItB followers will get. Sorry, couldn't stop myself. Humor/Drama because to David this is horrible and quite dramatic. To the audience who knows what's going on in the city as this is happening it should be chuckle worthy.


End file.
